MCKAY UP NEXT FOR BROWNS

BernietheKid

Posted by Mike Florio on January 1, 2009, 1:07 a.m.

Patriots V.P. of player personnel Scott Pioli has completed his interview for the vacant G.M. position in Cleveland, and presumably will next interview with the Chiefs.

The Browns, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer, will interview former Falcons G.M. Rich McKay on Thursday.

The Plain Dealer also reports that the Browns will interview director of player personnel T.J. McCreight, who worked closely with former G.M. Phil Savage.

Meanwhile, the Boston Herald reports that Pioli’s top choice for head coach would be Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. It has long been rumored in league circles that, if/when Pioli becomes a General Manager, Ferentz is one of the men who would be on his short list of potential head coaches.

listercat

Thoughts on McKay? I really have no idea or information about the individual

? Aloysius

McKay's more of a corporate executive than a real GM. As long as he had good scouts & assistants working under him, he did pretty well in the draft. But once Assistant GM Tim Ruskell left for Seattle, McKay began putting together some pretty awful drafts.

He took Jimmy Williams early in Round 2 of the '06 draft, and he took DE Jamaal Anderson with the 8th pick of the '07 draft. Williams is currently out of the league, and Anderson has only notched 2 sacks in his first two years in the league.

McKay would have been a good guy to bring in if we had kept Savage in a reduced role. He could have taken care of the management/PR side of the front office, and Savage could have focused almost exclusively on the draft.

But I think trusting McKay to take care of everything would be a disaster. Maybe that's why Lerner is interviewing T.J. McCreight for the GM job; it could be that he understands that he needs to pair McKay with a solid draft guy.

ballpeen

I like McKay, and probably favor him over the others.

He is a solid football guy. His dad was John McKay...long time coach at USC and the Bucs....his brother is a former NFL player, so he has a long football background.

He did a great job as Tampa's GM in their best years, and IMO did a solid job in Atlanta...the Vick mess is what screwed him there...and that couldn't have been imagined.

I think he would be a solid choice....and a guy who wouldn't try to be the face of the team as Savage was....and what Pioli seems to be seeking.

I think I would rather have more the executive type GM than the player guru type...seems it would be a better working relationship with the coach and things would get done in a seamless manner rather than what we just had.

In the end, I think the coach should have a big say in who he wants on the sideline and not be told here is who you need by some guy who doesn't have to figure out a way to make it work.

? Aloysius

Yes, McKay comes from a football family, but he decided to pursue a career in law instead. It was only when Tampa's owner was looking for a GM who could ~~prepare the team for sale~~ oversee the construction of a new stadium that McKay ended up getting involved in the personnel side of the game. (Pete Williams wrote a good book about the '05 draft, The Draft: Inside the NFL's Search for Talent, that focuses primarily on McKay. I definitely recommend it).

McKay ended up falling in love with the work, but he's always been credited more for his management style than his personnel evaluation skills.

Ideally, you'd like for your GM to be strong in both areas. Savage was fired because he was particularly weak in one, and we all want(ed) Pioli because he's said to be capable in both.

Gips

@ballpeen said:
I like McKay, and probably favor him over the others.
He is a solid football guy. His dad was John McKay...long time coach at USC and the Bucs....his brother is a former NFL player, so he has a long football background.

He did a great job as Tampa's GM in their best years, and IMO did a solid job in Atlanta...the Vick mess is what screwed him there...and that couldn't have been imagined.

I think he would be a solid choice....and a guy who wouldn't try to be the face of the team as Savage was....and what Pioli seems to be seeking.

I think I would rather have more the executive type GM than the player guru type...seems it would be a better working relationship with the coach and things would get done in a seamless manner rather than what we just had.

In the end, I think the coach should have a big say in who he wants on the sideline and not be told here is who you need by some guy who doesn't have to figure out a way to make it work.

I like McKay as well the more i learn of him the more i like him he could easily take over the whole shabang from keenans worthless arse on down ..lerner was wise to include him in his search im actually convinced randy is doing his damnest to bring in a winner..

T.J. McCreight however should be avoided like the plague if not fired...